US7697339B2 - Sense amplifier overdriving circuit and semiconductor device using the same - Google Patents

Sense amplifier overdriving circuit and semiconductor device using the same Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US7697339B2
US7697339B2 US12/189,253 US18925308A US7697339B2 US 7697339 B2 US7697339 B2 US 7697339B2 US 18925308 A US18925308 A US 18925308A US 7697339 B2 US7697339 B2 US 7697339B2
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
sense amplifier
signal
overdriving
enabling signal
voltage
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
US12/189,253
Other versions
US20080298151A1 (en
Inventor
Sung Soo Xi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
SK Hynix Inc
Original Assignee
Hynix Semiconductor Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hynix Semiconductor Inc filed Critical Hynix Semiconductor Inc
Priority to US12/189,253 priority Critical patent/US7697339B2/en
Publication of US20080298151A1 publication Critical patent/US20080298151A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US7697339B2 publication Critical patent/US7697339B2/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11C—STATIC STORES
    • G11C7/00—Arrangements for writing information into, or reading information out from, a digital store
    • G11C7/06—Sense amplifiers; Associated circuits, e.g. timing or triggering circuits
    • G11C7/08—Control thereof
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11C—STATIC STORES
    • G11C11/00—Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor
    • G11C11/21—Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements
    • G11C11/34—Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements using semiconductor devices
    • G11C11/40—Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements using semiconductor devices using transistors
    • G11C11/401—Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements using semiconductor devices using transistors forming cells needing refreshing or charge regeneration, i.e. dynamic cells
    • G11C11/4063—Auxiliary circuits, e.g. for addressing, decoding, driving, writing, sensing or timing
    • G11C11/407—Auxiliary circuits, e.g. for addressing, decoding, driving, writing, sensing or timing for memory cells of the field-effect type
    • G11C11/409—Read-write [R-W] circuits 
    • G11C11/4091—Sense or sense/refresh amplifiers, or associated sense circuitry, e.g. for coupled bit-line precharging, equalising or isolating
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11C—STATIC STORES
    • G11C5/00—Details of stores covered by group G11C11/00
    • G11C5/14—Power supply arrangements, e.g. power down, chip selection or deselection, layout of wirings or power grids, or multiple supply levels
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11C—STATIC STORES
    • G11C7/00—Arrangements for writing information into, or reading information out from, a digital store
    • G11C7/22—Read-write [R-W] timing or clocking circuits; Read-write [R-W] control signal generators or management 
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11C—STATIC STORES
    • G11C2207/00—Indexing scheme relating to arrangements for writing information into, or reading information out from, a digital store
    • G11C2207/06—Sense amplifier related aspects
    • G11C2207/065—Sense amplifier drivers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a sense amplifier overdriving circuit and a semiconductor device using the same, and, more particularly, to a sense amplifier overdriving circuit which overdrives sense amplifiers at the level of an external voltage for a predetermined period to prevent the internal voltage of the sense amplifiers from being abruptly dropped during operation of the sense amplifiers in such a manner that the overdriving operation is carried out only for sense amplifiers belonging to a currently-activated cell block, and a semiconductor device using the sense amplifier overdriving circuit.
  • Semiconductor memory devices which are used for storage of information, have advanced toward low cost, reduced size, and large capacity, in accordance with the technical advances in computer systems and electronic communication fields. Also, the developments of such semiconductor memory devices have advanced toward inhibition of unnecessary current consumption because of increased demand for enhanced energy efficiency.
  • the cell array of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device to store data includes a number of cells each of which includes one n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistor and one capacitor that are connected to word lines and bit lines connected in the form of a net.
  • NMOS metal oxide semiconductor
  • a row address strobe (RAS) signal /RAS which is a main signal to activate the DRAM device, transits to an active state (low-level state), address signals are inputted to a row address buffer.
  • RAS row address strobe
  • a row decoding operation is carried out to decode row address signals output from the row address buffer, and thus, to output a row address for selecting one of the word lines in the cell array.
  • a sense amplifier enabling signal is enabled, thereby activating a sense amplifier driving circuit for a cell block selected by the row address.
  • respective bias potentials of a sense amplifier associated with the sense amplifier driving circuit are transitioned to a core potential Vcore and a ground potential Vss, so that the sense amplifier is activated.
  • the sense amplifier is activated, the potential difference between the bit lines BL and /BL, which has been kept minute, is amplified.
  • a column decoder which is selected by a column address, turns on a column transfer transistor which serves to transfer the data on the bit line BL and the data on the bit line /BL to data bus lines DB and /DB, respectively. Accordingly, the data transferred to the bit line BL and the data transferred to the bit line /BL are sent to the data bus lines DB and /DB, respectively. Thus, the data is outputted to the outside of the DRAM device.
  • bit lines BL and /BL of each bit line pair is in a state of being precharged to 1 ⁇ 2 Vcc before the semiconductor memory device operates, namely, in the standby mode.
  • the bit lines BL and /BL receive data from the associated cell in accordance with operation of the semiconductor memory device, the potentials of the bit lines BL and /BL are varied to have minute differences.
  • the sense amplifier connected to the bit lines BL and /BL begins to operate in the above state, the potentials of the bit lines BL and /BL are varied to a core potential Vcore and a ground potential Vss, respectively. Namely, amplification of the data on the bit lines BL and /BL is carried out.
  • the amplified data from the bit line BL and the amplified data from the bit line /BL are sent to the data bus lines DB and /DB in accordance with a column decoder output signal yi, respectively.
  • sense amplifier overdriving This method is referred to as “sense amplifier overdriving”, and the circuit, which achieves such sense amplifier over driving, is referred to as a “sense amplifier overdriving circuit.”
  • sense amplifier overdriving circuit In conventional sense amplifier overdriving methods, however, an external voltage is applied to each cell block of a cell array irrespective of whether or not the cell block is in operation. As a result, the current consumption in execution of the sense amplifier overdriving operation is unnecessarily excessive, thereby causing degradation in the energy efficiency of the semiconductor device (as seen in FIG. 4 ).
  • a sense amplifier overdriving circuit overdrives sense amplifiers at the level of an external voltage for a predetermined period to prevent the internal voltage of the sense amplifiers from abruptly dropping during operation of the sense amplifiers.
  • the sense amplifier overdriving circuit operates in such a manner that the overdriving operation is carried out only for sense amplifiers belonging to a currently-activated cell block, Also descrived is a semiconductor device using the sense amplifier overdriving circuit.
  • a sense amplifier overdriving circuit in accordance with a described embodiment may include a first voltage driver to supply an internal voltage from an internal voltage terminal to a sense amplifier in response to a first enabling signal and a second voltage driver which supplies an external voltage to the internal voltage terminal in response to a second enabling signal, wherein the second voltage driver is turned on when both the block select signal and the second enabling signal are enabled.
  • a semiconductor device in accordance with a described embodiment may include a plurality of sense amplifier overdriving circuits each adapted to overdrive sense amplifiers at an external voltage level for a predetermined period, so as to prevent abrupt internal voltage drop during operation of the sense amplifiers.
  • Each of the sense amplifier overdriving circuits may include a first voltage driver to supply an internal voltage from an internal voltage terminal to a sense amplifier in response to a first enabling signal and a second voltage driver which supplies an external voltage to the internal voltage terminal in response to a second enabling signal, wherein the second voltage driver is turned on when both the block select signal and the second enabling signal are enabled.
  • the second voltage driver may be an n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) device.
  • NMOS n-channel metal oxide semiconductor
  • the first enabling signal may be a sense amplifier enabling signal to control operation of the sense amplifier.
  • the second enabling signal may be a sense amplifier overdriving signal to control whether or not overdriving of the sense amplifier is enabled.
  • FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a semiconductor device according to a described embodiment
  • FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram illustrating a sense amplifier overdriving circuit according to a described embodiment
  • FIG. 3 is a timing diagram of signals used in the sense amplifier overdriving circuit according to the illustrated embodiment
  • FIG. 4 is a graph depicting a variation in the voltage level at an internal voltage (VCORE) terminal during operation of the sense amplifier in the semiconductor device according to the illustrated embodiment, as compared to that of a conventional case; and
  • FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram illustrating a sense amplifier overdriving circuit according to another embodiment.
  • FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a semiconductor device according to a described embodiment.
  • FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram illustrating a sense amplifier overdriving circuit according to a described embodiment.
  • the sense amplifier overdriving circuit includes an NMOS transistor N 11 which is a voltage driver to supply an internal voltage VCORE from an internal voltage terminal to a sense amplifier 100 in response to a sense amplifier enabling signal SAP, a NAND gate ND 110 that NANDs a block select signal BS for selection of a desired cell block and a sense amplifier overdriving signal SAOVDP enabled for a predetermined time after enabling of the sense amplifier enabling signal SAP, and outputs the resultant signal, and a p-channel MOS (PMOS) transistor P 110 that is a voltage driver to supply an external voltage VDD to the internal voltage terminal in response to the signal output from the NAND gate ND 110 .
  • PMOS p-channel MOS
  • the semiconductor device may include a plurality of sense amplifier overdriving circuits, each of which serves to overdrive a sense amplifier at the level of an external voltage VDD for a predetermined period, in order to prevent an abrupt drop in the internal voltage VCORE during operation of the sense amplifier.
  • Each sense amplifier overdriving circuit may have the configuration of FIG. 2 .
  • each sense amplifier overdriving circuit may include an NMOS transistor N 11 that is a voltage driver to supply an internal voltage VCORE from an internal voltage terminal to at least one sense amplifier 100 in response to a sense amplifier enabling signal SAP, a NAND gate ND 110 that NANDs a block select signal BS for selection of a desired cell block and a sense amplifier overdriving signal SAOVDP enabled for a predetermined time after enabling of the sense amplifier enabling signal SAP, and outputs the resultant signal, and a PMOS transistor P 110 that is a voltage driver to supply an external voltage VDD to the internal voltage terminal in response to the signal output from the NAND gate ND 110 .
  • the block select signal BS is a signal that selects a cell block corresponding to a desired one of the cell array regions enabled by a one word line. As shown in FIG. 3 , the block select signal BS selects a cell block desired to be enabled for an active operation period, namely, a data input/output operation, to perform input or output of data.
  • the sense amplifier enabling signal SAP is an enabling signal that is enabled simultaneously with an enabling signal SAN after enabling of the block select signal BS, to enable supply of a voltage to the sense amplifier 100 , as shown in FIG. 3 .
  • the sense amplifier overdriving signal SA is enabled at the point of time when the sense amplifier 100 begins to operate after enabling of the sense amplifier enabling signal SAP, and is then disabled after a predetermined time. For the predetermined time, for which the sense amplifier overdriving signal SA is enabled, the external voltage is applied to the internal voltage terminal to overdrive the sense amplifier 100 .
  • bit lines connected to the sense amplifier 100 are pre-charged to 1 ⁇ 2 Vcc.
  • the sense amplifier enabling signal SAP, enabling signal SAN, sense amplifier overdriving signal SAOVDP, and block select signal BS are all in a disabled state, namely, a low level state, as shown in FIG. 3 .
  • the NMOS transistor N 11 , NMOS transistor N 12 , and PMOS transistor P 110 are all in an OFF state, and the sense amplifier 100 is in an inactive state.
  • the semiconductor device may be switched to an active mode, in which the semiconductor device performs an active operation such as input or output of data.
  • an active mode or state if the cell block selected by the block select signal BS is in a state of performing an active operation, namely, in an active state, the block select signal BS transits to a high level to be enabled.
  • the sense amplifier enabling signal SAP and enabling signal SAN transit to a high level to be enabled.
  • the sense amplifier overdriving signal SAOVDP is also enabled for a predetermined time. Accordingly, the sense amplifier 100 is overdriven by the external voltage VDD for the predetermined time from the point of time when the sense amplifier 100 begins to operate, so as to prevent the internal voltage VCORE from dropping abruptly.
  • the current consumption in the overdriving operation may be remarkably reduced, as compared to conventional cases, by controlling the overdriving operation using block select signals BS such that the overdriving operation is carried out only for cell blocks in an active state. This will be described in detail hereinafter.
  • each PMOS transistor which is a voltage supply driver to supply an external voltage to an associated cell block, operates in response to a signal generated in accordance with a logic operation for an associated one of the block select signals BS 0 , BS 1 , BS 2 , . . . to select respective cell blocks and the sense amplifier overdriving signal SAOVDP.
  • the block select signal BS transits to a high level simultaneously with enabling of the active mode, as shown in FIG. 3 .
  • the sense amplifier overdriving signal SAOVDP transits to a high level, namely, an enabling state, and is maintained in the enabling state for a predetermined time.
  • the NAND gate ND 110 in FIG. 2 outputs a low-level signal.
  • the signal output from the NAND gate ND 110 is buffered by inverters IV 110 and IV 111 , and is then applied to the gate of the PMOS transistor P 110 .
  • the PMOS transistor P 110 is turned on, to supply the external voltage VDD to the internal voltage terminal.
  • the cell block selected by the block select signal BS is overdriven by the external voltage VDD at the point of time when the associated sense amplifier 100 begins to operate, so that there is no phenomenon where the potential at the internal voltage terminal drops abruptly.
  • the block select signal BS is maintained in a low-level state even when the active mode is enabled, contrary to the case of FIG. 3 .
  • the NAND gate ND 110 in FIG. 2 outputs a high-level signal irrespective of the transition of the sense amplifier overdriving signal SAOVDP to a high level, namely, an enabled state.
  • the PMOS transistor P 110 which receives, at the gate thereof, the signal output from the NAND gate ND 110 and buffered by the inverters IV 110 and IV 111 , is turned off, to prevent the external voltage VDD from being supplied to the internal voltage terminal.
  • FIG. 4 depicts a variation in the voltage level at the internal voltage terminal during operation of the sense amplifier in the semiconductor device according to the present invention, as compared to that of the conventional case. Referring to FIG. 4 , it can be seen that it is possible to prevent excessive overdriving.
  • the sense amplifier overdriving circuit and the semiconductor device using the sense amplifier overdriving circuit may reduce the current consumption in overdriving sense amplifiers at the level of the external voltage by enabling the overdriving operation for sense amplifiers belonging to cell blocks in an active state, and disabling the overdriving operation for sense amplifiers belonging to cell blocks in an inactive state.
  • the PMOS transistor P 110 is used as a voltage driver to supply the external voltage VDD
  • the NAND gate ND 100 is used as a logic gate in the illustrated embodiment
  • an NMOS transistor N 110 may be used as the voltage driver to supply the external voltage VDD
  • an AND gate AND 110 which performs an AND operation, may be used as the logic gate, as shown in FIG. 5 .
  • sense amplifiers are overdriven at the level of the external voltage for a predetermined period to prevent the internal voltage of the sense amplifiers from being abruptly dropped during operation of the sense amplifiers in such a manner that the overdriving operation is carried out only for the sense amplifiers belonging to a currently-activated cell block, and a semiconductor device using the sense amplifier overdriving circuit.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Dram (AREA)
  • Static Random-Access Memory (AREA)

Abstract

A sense amplifier overdriving circuit includes a first voltage driver which supplies an internal voltage from an internal voltage terminal to a sense amplifier in response to a first enabling signal, a logic unit which logically operates a block select signal for selection of a cell block and a second enabling signal enabled for a predetermined time after enabling of the first enabling signal, and outputs the resultant signal, and a second voltage driver which supplies an external voltage to the internal voltage terminal in response to the signal output from the logic unit.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This patent is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 11/275,161 filed Dec. 16, 2005 the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sense amplifier overdriving circuit and a semiconductor device using the same, and, more particularly, to a sense amplifier overdriving circuit which overdrives sense amplifiers at the level of an external voltage for a predetermined period to prevent the internal voltage of the sense amplifiers from being abruptly dropped during operation of the sense amplifiers in such a manner that the overdriving operation is carried out only for sense amplifiers belonging to a currently-activated cell block, and a semiconductor device using the sense amplifier overdriving circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor memory devices, which are used for storage of information, have advanced toward low cost, reduced size, and large capacity, in accordance with the technical advances in computer systems and electronic communication fields. Also, the developments of such semiconductor memory devices have advanced toward inhibition of unnecessary current consumption because of increased demand for enhanced energy efficiency.
Generally, the cell array of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device to store data includes a number of cells each of which includes one n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistor and one capacitor that are connected to word lines and bit lines connected in the form of a net.
Hereinafter, operation of such a general DRAM device will be described in brief.
When a row address strobe (RAS) signal /RAS, which is a main signal to activate the DRAM device, transits to an active state (low-level state), address signals are inputted to a row address buffer. In this state, a row decoding operation is carried out to decode row address signals output from the row address buffer, and thus, to output a row address for selecting one of the word lines in the cell array.
When data of each cell connected to the selected word line is applied to a pair of bit lines, namely, a bit line BL and a complementary bit line /BL, connected to the cell, a sense amplifier enabling signal is enabled, thereby activating a sense amplifier driving circuit for a cell block selected by the row address. In accordance with operation of the activated sense amplifier driving circuit, respective bias potentials of a sense amplifier associated with the sense amplifier driving circuit are transitioned to a core potential Vcore and a ground potential Vss, so that the sense amplifier is activated. When the sense amplifier is activated, the potential difference between the bit lines BL and /BL, which has been kept minute, is amplified. Subsequently, a column decoder, which is selected by a column address, turns on a column transfer transistor which serves to transfer the data on the bit line BL and the data on the bit line /BL to data bus lines DB and /DB, respectively. Accordingly, the data transferred to the bit line BL and the data transferred to the bit line /BL are sent to the data bus lines DB and /DB, respectively. Thus, the data is outputted to the outside of the DRAM device.
That is, the bit lines BL and /BL of each bit line pair is in a state of being precharged to ½ Vcc before the semiconductor memory device operates, namely, in the standby mode. When the bit lines BL and /BL receive data from the associated cell in accordance with operation of the semiconductor memory device, the potentials of the bit lines BL and /BL are varied to have minute differences. When the sense amplifier connected to the bit lines BL and /BL begins to operate in the above state, the potentials of the bit lines BL and /BL are varied to a core potential Vcore and a ground potential Vss, respectively. Namely, amplification of the data on the bit lines BL and /BL is carried out. The amplified data from the bit line BL and the amplified data from the bit line /BL are sent to the data bus lines DB and /DB in accordance with a column decoder output signal yi, respectively.
In the above-mentioned conventional semiconductor memory device, however, a large amount of current is abruptly consumed at the point of time when the sense amplifier begins to operate in accordance with reception of the internal voltage, namely, a core voltage, VCORE. As a result, there is a problem in that the internal voltage VCORE is abruptly dropped. In order to solve this problem, a method, in which the external and internal voltage terminals of the semiconductor memory device are short-circuited at the point of time when the sense amplifier operates such that an external voltage is supplied to the internal voltage terminal, has been widely used. This method is referred to as “sense amplifier overdriving”, and the circuit, which achieves such sense amplifier over driving, is referred to as a “sense amplifier overdriving circuit.” In conventional sense amplifier overdriving methods, however, an external voltage is applied to each cell block of a cell array irrespective of whether or not the cell block is in operation. As a result, the current consumption in execution of the sense amplifier overdriving operation is unnecessarily excessive, thereby causing degradation in the energy efficiency of the semiconductor device (as seen in FIG. 4).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A sense amplifier overdriving circuit overdrives sense amplifiers at the level of an external voltage for a predetermined period to prevent the internal voltage of the sense amplifiers from abruptly dropping during operation of the sense amplifiers. The sense amplifier overdriving circuit operates in such a manner that the overdriving operation is carried out only for sense amplifiers belonging to a currently-activated cell block, Also descrived is a semiconductor device using the sense amplifier overdriving circuit.
A sense amplifier overdriving circuit in accordance with a described embodiment may include a first voltage driver to supply an internal voltage from an internal voltage terminal to a sense amplifier in response to a first enabling signal and a second voltage driver which supplies an external voltage to the internal voltage terminal in response to a second enabling signal, wherein the second voltage driver is turned on when both the block select signal and the second enabling signal are enabled.
A semiconductor device in accordance with a described embodiment may include a plurality of sense amplifier overdriving circuits each adapted to overdrive sense amplifiers at an external voltage level for a predetermined period, so as to prevent abrupt internal voltage drop during operation of the sense amplifiers. Each of the sense amplifier overdriving circuits may include a first voltage driver to supply an internal voltage from an internal voltage terminal to a sense amplifier in response to a first enabling signal and a second voltage driver which supplies an external voltage to the internal voltage terminal in response to a second enabling signal, wherein the second voltage driver is turned on when both the block select signal and the second enabling signal are enabled.
The second voltage driver may be an n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) device.
The first enabling signal may be a sense amplifier enabling signal to control operation of the sense amplifier.
The second enabling signal may be a sense amplifier overdriving signal to control whether or not overdriving of the sense amplifier is enabled.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Numerous features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent after reading the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a semiconductor device according to a described embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram illustrating a sense amplifier overdriving circuit according to a described embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a timing diagram of signals used in the sense amplifier overdriving circuit according to the illustrated embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a graph depicting a variation in the voltage level at an internal voltage (VCORE) terminal during operation of the sense amplifier in the semiconductor device according to the illustrated embodiment, as compared to that of a conventional case; and
FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram illustrating a sense amplifier overdriving circuit according to another embodiment.
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are used only for illustrative purposes, and the present invention is not limited thereto.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a semiconductor device according to a described embodiment. FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram illustrating a sense amplifier overdriving circuit according to a described embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 2, the sense amplifier overdriving circuit according to the illustrated embodiment includes an NMOS transistor N11 which is a voltage driver to supply an internal voltage VCORE from an internal voltage terminal to a sense amplifier 100 in response to a sense amplifier enabling signal SAP, a NAND gate ND110 that NANDs a block select signal BS for selection of a desired cell block and a sense amplifier overdriving signal SAOVDP enabled for a predetermined time after enabling of the sense amplifier enabling signal SAP, and outputs the resultant signal, and a p-channel MOS (PMOS) transistor P110 that is a voltage driver to supply an external voltage VDD to the internal voltage terminal in response to the signal output from the NAND gate ND110.
As shown in FIG. 1, the semiconductor device may include a plurality of sense amplifier overdriving circuits, each of which serves to overdrive a sense amplifier at the level of an external voltage VDD for a predetermined period, in order to prevent an abrupt drop in the internal voltage VCORE during operation of the sense amplifier. Each sense amplifier overdriving circuit may have the configuration of FIG. 2. That is, each sense amplifier overdriving circuit may include an NMOS transistor N11 that is a voltage driver to supply an internal voltage VCORE from an internal voltage terminal to at least one sense amplifier 100 in response to a sense amplifier enabling signal SAP, a NAND gate ND110 that NANDs a block select signal BS for selection of a desired cell block and a sense amplifier overdriving signal SAOVDP enabled for a predetermined time after enabling of the sense amplifier enabling signal SAP, and outputs the resultant signal, and a PMOS transistor P110 that is a voltage driver to supply an external voltage VDD to the internal voltage terminal in response to the signal output from the NAND gate ND110.
The block select signal BS is a signal that selects a cell block corresponding to a desired one of the cell array regions enabled by a one word line. As shown in FIG. 3, the block select signal BS selects a cell block desired to be enabled for an active operation period, namely, a data input/output operation, to perform input or output of data. The sense amplifier enabling signal SAP is an enabling signal that is enabled simultaneously with an enabling signal SAN after enabling of the block select signal BS, to enable supply of a voltage to the sense amplifier 100, as shown in FIG. 3. Also, the sense amplifier overdriving signal SA is enabled at the point of time when the sense amplifier 100 begins to operate after enabling of the sense amplifier enabling signal SAP, and is then disabled after a predetermined time. For the predetermined time, for which the sense amplifier overdriving signal SA is enabled, the external voltage is applied to the internal voltage terminal to overdrive the sense amplifier 100.
Operation of the semiconductor device according to the above-described configuration will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. For simplicity, the following description will be given only in conjunction with one sense amplifier overdriving circuit to overdrive one sense amplifier.
When the semiconductor device is in a standby mode prior to operation thereof, a pair of bit lines connected to the sense amplifier 100, namely, bit lines BL and /BL, are pre-charged to ½ Vcc. In this state, the sense amplifier enabling signal SAP, enabling signal SAN, sense amplifier overdriving signal SAOVDP, and block select signal BS are all in a disabled state, namely, a low level state, as shown in FIG. 3. Accordingly, the NMOS transistor N11, NMOS transistor N12, and PMOS transistor P110 are all in an OFF state, and the sense amplifier 100 is in an inactive state.
The semiconductor device may be switched to an active mode, in which the semiconductor device performs an active operation such as input or output of data. In this mode or state, if the cell block selected by the block select signal BS is in a state of performing an active operation, namely, in an active state, the block select signal BS transits to a high level to be enabled. Immediately after this transition, the sense amplifier enabling signal SAP and enabling signal SAN transit to a high level to be enabled. In order to overdrive the sense amplifier 100 at the level of the external voltage VDD, the sense amplifier overdriving signal SAOVDP is also enabled for a predetermined time. Accordingly, the sense amplifier 100 is overdriven by the external voltage VDD for the predetermined time from the point of time when the sense amplifier 100 begins to operate, so as to prevent the internal voltage VCORE from dropping abruptly.
The current consumption in the overdriving operation may be remarkably reduced, as compared to conventional cases, by controlling the overdriving operation using block select signals BS such that the overdriving operation is carried out only for cell blocks in an active state. This will be described in detail hereinafter.
As shown in FIG. 1, each PMOS transistor, which is a voltage supply driver to supply an external voltage to an associated cell block, operates in response to a signal generated in accordance with a logic operation for an associated one of the block select signals BS0, BS1, BS2, . . . to select respective cell blocks and the sense amplifier overdriving signal SAOVDP.
This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2. For simplicity, the following description will be given only for one block select signal. If the cell block selected by the block select signal BS is in an active state, the block select signal BS transits to a high level simultaneously with enabling of the active mode, as shown in FIG. 3. Also, the sense amplifier overdriving signal SAOVDP transits to a high level, namely, an enabling state, and is maintained in the enabling state for a predetermined time. As a result, the NAND gate ND110 in FIG. 2 outputs a low-level signal. The signal output from the NAND gate ND110 is buffered by inverters IV110 and IV111, and is then applied to the gate of the PMOS transistor P110. Accordingly, the PMOS transistor P110 is turned on, to supply the external voltage VDD to the internal voltage terminal. Thus, the cell block selected by the block select signal BS is overdriven by the external voltage VDD at the point of time when the associated sense amplifier 100 begins to operate, so that there is no phenomenon where the potential at the internal voltage terminal drops abruptly.
On the other hand, if the cell block selected by the block select signal BS is not in a state of performing an active operation, namely, is in an inactive state, the block select signal BS is maintained in a low-level state even when the active mode is enabled, contrary to the case of FIG. 3. In this state, the NAND gate ND110 in FIG. 2 outputs a high-level signal irrespective of the transition of the sense amplifier overdriving signal SAOVDP to a high level, namely, an enabled state. The PMOS transistor P110 which receives, at the gate thereof, the signal output from the NAND gate ND110 and buffered by the inverters IV110 and IV111, is turned off, to prevent the external voltage VDD from being supplied to the internal voltage terminal. Thus, no overdriving is carried out in the cell block which is in an inactive state. FIG. 4 depicts a variation in the voltage level at the internal voltage terminal during operation of the sense amplifier in the semiconductor device according to the present invention, as compared to that of the conventional case. Referring to FIG. 4, it can be seen that it is possible to prevent excessive overdriving.
Thus, the sense amplifier overdriving circuit and the semiconductor device using the sense amplifier overdriving circuit may reduce the current consumption in overdriving sense amplifiers at the level of the external voltage by enabling the overdriving operation for sense amplifiers belonging to cell blocks in an active state, and disabling the overdriving operation for sense amplifiers belonging to cell blocks in an inactive state.
When the sense amplifier overdriving signal SAOVDP subsequently transits from a high level to a low level, as shown in FIG. 3, the output of the NAND gate ND110 in FIG. 2 becomes a high level, so that the PMOS transistor P110 is turned off. Accordingly, the overdriving operation for the sense amplifier associated with the active cell block is completed, and the potential at the internal voltage terminal is maintained at the level of the internal voltage VCORE.
Although the PMOS transistor P110 is used as a voltage driver to supply the external voltage VDD, and the NAND gate ND100 is used as a logic gate in the illustrated embodiment, an NMOS transistor N110 may be used as the voltage driver to supply the external voltage VDD, and an AND gate AND110, which performs an AND operation, may be used as the logic gate, as shown in FIG. 5.
As apparent from the above description, in the sense amplifier overdriving circuit and the semiconductor device using the sense amplifier over driving circuit, sense amplifiers are overdriven at the level of the external voltage for a predetermined period to prevent the internal voltage of the sense amplifiers from being abruptly dropped during operation of the sense amplifiers in such a manner that the overdriving operation is carried out only for the sense amplifiers belonging to a currently-activated cell block, and a semiconductor device using the sense amplifier overdriving circuit.

Claims (8)

1. A sense amplifier overdriving circuit comprising:
a first voltage driver to supply an internal voltage from an internal voltage terminal to a sense amplifier in response to a first enabling signal; and
a second voltage driver which supplies an external voltage to the internal voltage terminal in response to a second enabling signal,
wherein the second voltage driver is turned on when both the block select signal and the second enabling signal are enabled.
2. The sense amplifier overdriving circuit according to claim 1, wherein the second voltage driver is an n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) device.
3. The sense amplifier overdriving circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first enabling signal is a sense amplifier enabling signal to control operation of the sense amplifier.
4. The sense amplifier overdriving circuit according to claim 1, wherein the second enabling signal is a sense amplifier overdriving signal to control overdriving of the sense amplifier enablement.
5. A semiconductor device comprising a plurality of sense amplifier overdriving circuits each adapted to overdrive sense amplifiers at an external voltage level for a predetermined period, so as to prevent an abrupt drop in internal voltage during operation of the sense amplifiers, wherein each of the sense amplifier overdriving circuits comprises:
a first voltage driver to supply an internal voltage from an internal voltage terminal to a sense amplifier in response to a first enabling signal; and
a second voltage driver which supplies an external voltage to the internal voltage terminal in response to a second enabling signal,
wherein the second voltage driver is turned on when both the block select signal and the second enabling signal are enabled.
6. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the second voltage driver is an n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) device.
7. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the first enabling signal is a sense amplifier enabling signal to control operation of the sense amplifier.
8. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the second enabling signal is a sense amplifier overdriving signal to control overdriving of the sense amplifier enablement.
US12/189,253 2005-04-01 2008-08-11 Sense amplifier overdriving circuit and semiconductor device using the same Active US7697339B2 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US12/189,253 US7697339B2 (en) 2005-04-01 2008-08-11 Sense amplifier overdriving circuit and semiconductor device using the same

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
KR1020050027749A KR100586557B1 (en) 2005-04-01 2005-04-01 Sense amplifier overdriving circuit and semiconductor device
KR2005-27749 2005-04-01
US11/275,161 US7426150B2 (en) 2005-04-01 2005-12-16 Sense amplifier overdriving circuit and semiconductor device using the same
US12/189,253 US7697339B2 (en) 2005-04-01 2008-08-11 Sense amplifier overdriving circuit and semiconductor device using the same

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US11/275,161 Continuation US7426150B2 (en) 2005-04-01 2005-12-16 Sense amplifier overdriving circuit and semiconductor device using the same

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20080298151A1 US20080298151A1 (en) 2008-12-04
US7697339B2 true US7697339B2 (en) 2010-04-13

Family

ID=37070228

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US11/275,161 Active US7426150B2 (en) 2005-04-01 2005-12-16 Sense amplifier overdriving circuit and semiconductor device using the same
US12/189,253 Active US7697339B2 (en) 2005-04-01 2008-08-11 Sense amplifier overdriving circuit and semiconductor device using the same

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US11/275,161 Active US7426150B2 (en) 2005-04-01 2005-12-16 Sense amplifier overdriving circuit and semiconductor device using the same

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (2) US7426150B2 (en)
KR (1) KR100586557B1 (en)
TW (1) TWI299167B (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20080298141A1 (en) * 2005-09-29 2008-12-04 Hynix Semiconductor Inc. Bit line control circuit for semiconductor memory device

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR100586557B1 (en) * 2005-04-01 2006-06-08 주식회사 하이닉스반도체 Sense amplifier overdriving circuit and semiconductor device
KR100965570B1 (en) * 2005-12-29 2010-06-23 엘지디스플레이 주식회사 Apparatus and method for exposing edge of substrate
KR100940265B1 (en) * 2007-10-31 2010-02-04 주식회사 하이닉스반도체 Sense amplifier power supply circuit
KR100935729B1 (en) * 2007-12-28 2010-01-08 주식회사 하이닉스반도체 Sense Amplifier Overdriving Voltage Supply Device
JP2009289784A (en) * 2008-05-27 2009-12-10 Nec Electronics Corp Semiconductor integrated circuit device
KR100961210B1 (en) 2008-11-04 2010-06-09 주식회사 하이닉스반도체 Control signal generation circuit and sense amplifier circuit using the same

Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6477100B2 (en) 1999-02-22 2002-11-05 Hitachi, Ltd. Semiconductor memory device with over-driving sense amplifier
JP2003242780A (en) 2002-02-12 2003-08-29 Hitachi Ltd Semiconductor memory device
JP2004170275A (en) 2002-11-20 2004-06-17 Japan Electronic Materials Corp Probe
US6754122B2 (en) * 2002-02-05 2004-06-22 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Semiconductor memory device having overdriven bit-line sense amplifiers
US20040233754A1 (en) 2003-05-24 2004-11-25 Hynix Semiconductor Inc. Semiconductor memory device having sense amplifier and method for overdriving the sense amplifier
US20050012636A1 (en) 2003-07-10 2005-01-20 Shawn Gallagher Burst pulse circuit for signal lights and method
US6853593B1 (en) * 2003-07-15 2005-02-08 Hynix Semiconductor Inc. Semiconductor memory device having over-driving scheme
US20050232052A1 (en) 2004-04-20 2005-10-20 Hynix Semiconductor Inc. Apparatus and method for supplying power in semiconductor device
US20060092735A1 (en) 2004-10-30 2006-05-04 Hynix Semiconductor, Inc. Method for measuring offset voltage of sense amplifier and semiconductor employing the method
US7362631B2 (en) * 2004-04-30 2008-04-22 Hynix Semiconductor Inc. Semiconductor memory device capable of controlling drivability of overdriver
US7426150B2 (en) * 2005-04-01 2008-09-16 Hynix Semiconductor Inc. Sense amplifier overdriving circuit and semiconductor device using the same

Patent Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6477100B2 (en) 1999-02-22 2002-11-05 Hitachi, Ltd. Semiconductor memory device with over-driving sense amplifier
US6754122B2 (en) * 2002-02-05 2004-06-22 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Semiconductor memory device having overdriven bit-line sense amplifiers
JP2003242780A (en) 2002-02-12 2003-08-29 Hitachi Ltd Semiconductor memory device
JP2004170275A (en) 2002-11-20 2004-06-17 Japan Electronic Materials Corp Probe
US20040233754A1 (en) 2003-05-24 2004-11-25 Hynix Semiconductor Inc. Semiconductor memory device having sense amplifier and method for overdriving the sense amplifier
US20050012636A1 (en) 2003-07-10 2005-01-20 Shawn Gallagher Burst pulse circuit for signal lights and method
US6853593B1 (en) * 2003-07-15 2005-02-08 Hynix Semiconductor Inc. Semiconductor memory device having over-driving scheme
US20050232052A1 (en) 2004-04-20 2005-10-20 Hynix Semiconductor Inc. Apparatus and method for supplying power in semiconductor device
US7362631B2 (en) * 2004-04-30 2008-04-22 Hynix Semiconductor Inc. Semiconductor memory device capable of controlling drivability of overdriver
US20060092735A1 (en) 2004-10-30 2006-05-04 Hynix Semiconductor, Inc. Method for measuring offset voltage of sense amplifier and semiconductor employing the method
US7426150B2 (en) * 2005-04-01 2008-09-16 Hynix Semiconductor Inc. Sense amplifier overdriving circuit and semiconductor device using the same

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20080298141A1 (en) * 2005-09-29 2008-12-04 Hynix Semiconductor Inc. Bit line control circuit for semiconductor memory device
US7800962B2 (en) * 2005-09-29 2010-09-21 Hynix Semiconductor Inc. Bit line control circuit for semiconductor memory device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
TW200636742A (en) 2006-10-16
US20060221740A1 (en) 2006-10-05
TWI299167B (en) 2008-07-21
KR100586557B1 (en) 2006-06-08
US20080298151A1 (en) 2008-12-04
US7426150B2 (en) 2008-09-16

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US9336837B2 (en) Low voltage sensing scheme having reduced active power down standby current
US7184362B2 (en) Page access circuit of semiconductor memory device
US7697339B2 (en) Sense amplifier overdriving circuit and semiconductor device using the same
US6791897B2 (en) Word line driving circuit
US10957369B2 (en) Word line drivers sharing a transistor, and related memory devices and systems
US7139187B2 (en) Ferroelectric memory
US7675798B2 (en) Sense amplifier control circuit and semiconductor device using the same
US7852694B2 (en) Semiconductor memory device for reducing precharge time
US6944076B2 (en) Dynamic semiconductor memory device and bit line precharge method therefor
US6269046B1 (en) Semiconductor memory device having improved decoders for decoding row and column address signals
US11270746B2 (en) Word line driver circuitry, and associated methods, devices, and systems
US8755217B2 (en) Semiconductor memory device
USRE36159E (en) Semiconductor integrated circuit device having built-in voltage drop circuit
US7701798B2 (en) Power supply circuit for sense amplifier of semiconductor memory device
US20220199153A1 (en) Semiconductor device
US10410702B2 (en) Address decoder and semiconductor memory device including the same
US20080062800A1 (en) Semiconductor memory device
US6990029B2 (en) Column read amplifier power-gating technique for integrated circuit memory devices and those devices incorporating embedded dynamic random access memory (DRAM)
US6580656B2 (en) Semiconductor memory device having memory cell block activation control circuit and method for controlling activation of memory cell blocks thereof
US6212116B1 (en) Semiconductor memory device
US8279694B2 (en) Semiconductor memory device having a reduced noise interference
JP3192709B2 (en) Semiconductor storage device
CN113948127A (en) Apparatus having a driving circuit for overwriting data latched in a sense amplifier
CN116504284A (en) System, apparatus and method for precharging a digit line

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED CASE

FEPP Fee payment procedure

Free format text: PAYOR NUMBER ASSIGNED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: ASPN); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY

FPAY Fee payment

Year of fee payment: 4

FPAY Fee payment

Year of fee payment: 8

MAFP Maintenance fee payment

Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 12TH YEAR, LARGE ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M1553); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY

Year of fee payment: 12